Barrel-truck



J. L. HAMILTON. BARREL TRUCK.

(No Model.)

Patented Oct. 2, 1894:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. HAMILTON, OF ALAMOSA, COLORADO.

BARREL-TRUCK.-

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,809, dated October 2, 1894. Application filedTebrnary 28, 1894. Serial No. 550L822. (No model.)

To all whom it may concernl 3e it known that 1, JAMES L. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alamosa, in the county of Conejos and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barrel-Trucks; andIdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to barrel trucks, and has for its object the provision of a device to facilitate the handling of barrels both in transportation and in drawing the contents therefrom.

A further object of the invention is a rack which can be conveniently and readily tilted to and from the horizontal to enable the contents of the barrel to be completely drained therefrom and enable the barrel or cask to be easily lifted from the floor.

With these ends in view, the invention consists of the novel instrumentalities hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed and which areshown in the annexed drawings,inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective View of a barrel truck constructed in accordance with and embodying the essential principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the truck, showing the barrel rack tilted by the dotted lines and a barrel in position thereon, prior to being lifted from the floor. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of a portion of the treadle and spring-actuated catch for engagement with the notched circle, whereby the rack is held in the required tilted position. Fig. 4 is a modification of catch and spring.

The device comprises essentially a rolling base A and a barrel rack B, the latter being arranged to tilt upon the base and held in the required position by mechanical devices hereinafter more fully set forth. The base and rack are of similar construction and inversely arranged. The base is composed of side pieces a, mounted upon casters or roller bearings 72, and cross bars 0 which connect them together. The upper edges of the side pieces incline in opposite directions from a central point. The barrel rack is composed of side pieces E which are connected near their ends by cross pieces F which are notched in their upper faces to provide seats for casks and barrels. The lower edges of the side pieces E are inclined in opposite directions from a central point in an inverse direction to the inclined edges of the base, whereby provision is made to enable the rack to tilt from the horizontal to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, or to any position intermediate of these two extremes. The barrel rack is connected by a pivotal or hinged joint with the base, preferably by eye bolts G which extend through the side pieces of the rack and base and have their eye portions interlocked. A notched circle H is attached at its ends to the barrel rest F and is engaged at the lower notched edge by a catch I which is hinged at one end to a cross bar 0, the free end of the catch being flanged to engage with the teeth on the notched circle H. A treadle J extending crosswise of the pieces and attached to one of the side pieces, is guided in its movements at the free end by a keeper 7. This treadle is normally held against the lower edge of the base by spring pressure and is connected with the catch I by a rod K on.

which is mounted a spring 75 which exerts an upward pressure suiiiicient to hold the catch I in engagement with the notched circle at all times when the treadle J is not operated upon by foot pressure.

A swinging bail L is hinged at one end to a barrel rest F and its opposite end is provided with a hook Z, which is adapted to engage with the chine of a barrel or cask and hold the latter on the rack when in the act of elevating the same to the rack, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The swinging bail L is of an approximately V-form and the hook Z is double ended, and mounted between its ends on the free end portion of the said bail. In addition to the cross bars for securing the side pieces of the base and the barrel rack together, suitable tie rods on will be provided.

In placing a barrel or cask upon the rack, the latter is tilted about in the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the swinging bail with its hook is thrown into position and engaged with the chine of said barrel, after which the rack with the barrel attached, is tilted into the required position. Obviously, the barrel rack can be tilted to or from the horizontal in either direction as required, and is held in the adjusted position by means of the spring-actuated catch I, the latterbeing disengaged from the notched circle by foot pressure upon the treadle J.

The tie rods may be placed between the cross bars 0 of the base and the catch I mounted upon one of the said tie rods instead of being attached to the cross bar. In this construction the spring K will be dispensed with and a spring M provided, having coils m to receive the tie rod, the ends of the spring engaging with, respectively, the catch and the contiguous cross bar 0.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is- In a barrel truck, the combination of a rolling base, a barrel rack pivotally mounted on ing witnesses. 7 JAMES L. HAMILTON.

Witnesses: v

ERWIN D. HAWLEY,

HERBERT E. JOHNSON. 

